Safety pin



Sept. 26, 1961 E. SCHEEMAEKER 3,001,259

SAFETY PIN Filed Oct. 2, 1959 IN VEN TOR. EM/& 5 J'Cf/EEMA-KEQ A rrae/vs V5 United ,States Patent O Filed Oct. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 843,986

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-.-156) The present invention relates to a safety pin.

In my Patent No. 2,863,199, issued December 9, 1958, there is disclosed and described a Safety Pin which comprises straight front and back legs having forward and rearward ends, a resilient helix spacing and connecting the rearward ends of the legs and urging the legs away from each other, a point on the forward end of the front leg,'a head having opposite sides and front and back longitudinal edges and a rearward edge, the forward end of the back leg being secured in the head along and near the back edge, a'retaining slot in the head on the point of the front leg opening through the rearward end of the head, the slot comprising a long straight portion close to and paralleling one side of the head-and opening at one end through the front edge of the head, the other end of the straight portion continuing in a laterally inwardly directed reverse bend arcuate portion, the slot further comprising a pocket portion located in the central plane of the head-into which the arcuate opens. In securing layers of fabric together, the user of the pin of the Patent 2,863,199, applies a compressive force to the front and back legs so as to move the same toward each other with the point portion of the front leg entering the slot opening in the front edge of the head and thence moving through the straight portion, through the inwardly directed reverse bend arcuate portion into the pocket portion. This shifting of the front leg requires the application of a compressive force to the front leg accompanied by a lateral force and a release of the lateral force and compressive force when the leg point portion has entered the pocket. In detaching the pin from the fabric, the reverse movement is employed, first applying a compressive force to the front and back legs so as to shift the pointed end portion of the front leg out of the pocket, through the reverse bend arcuate portion and into the straight portion and thence out of the opening at the front edge of the head. The manipulation of the pin to apply the compressive force and lateral force simultaneously in a single movement has been found to be diflicult for many persons. Not only one lateral force must be applied to move the pointed end portion of the front leg out of the pocket but a second lateral force must be applied to shift the pointed end portion through the arcuate portion into the straight portion.

By the present invention the Safety Pin of the Patent 2,863,199, is enhanced in operation and use by the inclusion of an auxiliary pocket or pocket portion in the slot which receives the portion of the one leg having the point on the free and thereof. The auxiliary pocket or pocket portion in the slot permits the application of a compressive force and lateral force simultaneously sufficient to move the pointed portion of the one leg out of the main pocket into the entrance portion of the main pocket and thence into the auxiliary pocket in a single operation, permitting shifting of the fingers of the hand of the user so as to permit the application of a further compressive force to the aforesaid leg out of the auxiliary pocket along the portion of the slot adjacent the entrance portion to the arcuate portion and thence into the straight portion and out of the open end of the slot. This permits the application of a compressive force and a lateral force in one direction for a portion of the movement of the fingers of the hand of the user and followed by the application of a further compressive force and a lateral force in the opposite direction to free the one leg from the head of the safety pin of the present invention.

r 3,001,259. Ce Patented Sept. 25,1961.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the safety pin according to the present invention, shown in closed or locked condition.

FIGURE 2 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 3--3 of FIG- URE 2, a portion of the adhesive coating being shown removed from the safety pin head, the dotted line showing indicating the open position of the one leg of the safety pin.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing the safety pin of the present invention adapted for the use of a left-handed person.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the safety pin of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and it comprises a pair of straight spaced legs 12 and 14 and a resilient helix 16 spacing and connecting one of the complemental ends of the legs 12 and 14 for movement of the legs 12 and 14 away from each other. The position of the leg 12 away from the leg 14 is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 3.

The free end portion of the leg 12 is pointed, as at 18 in FIGURE 3. A head 20 is fixedly secured to the free end portion of the other leg 14. The head 20 is formed of two sections 22 and 24 having their mating faces secured together by suitable means such as an adhesive coating 26, as in FIGURE 3. t

The head 20 has a retaining slot for releasably engag r ing the free end part or portion 18 of the leg 12, the slot being designated generally by the reference numeral 28. The slot 28 comprises a straight portion 30 having one end terminating in an offset portion 32 which opens out of one end of the head 12.

The head 20 is provided with a main pocket portion 34 parallel to the straight portion 30 and having an entrance portion 36.

A reversely bent arcuate portion 38 has one end connected to the end of the straight portion 3 0 remote from the ofiset portion 32 and has the other end connected to the entrance portion 36.

The free end part or pointed portion 18 of the leg 12 is insertable into the main pocket portion 34 through the open end of the offset portion 32, and thence in turn through the straight portion 30, through the arcuate portion 38, and through the entrance portion 36 into the pocket portion 34.

The present invention provides an improvement consistrng in an auxiliary pocket portion 40 parallel to the main pocket portion 34 and in communication with the entrance portion 36.

The leg pointed portion 18 is shiftable from the main pocket portion 34 through the entrance portion 36 into the auxiliary pocket portion 40 responsive to the application thereto in turn of a partial compressive force, a lateral force, and subsequent release of the compressive and lateral forces.

In FIGURE 4-, the safety pin head 20 is shown as a modification of the head 20 previously described. In this embodiment of the invention the slot 28' is formed in the reverse manner so that the auxiliary pocket portion 40' is on the side of the head 20' opposite to the position of the auxiliary pocket 40 of the head 20. Otherwise, the head 2ti is identical to the head 20 with the slot 28 including a straight portion 30', an offset portion 32', a main pocket portion 34', an entrance portion 36', and an arcuately curved or reversely bent portion 38'.

In use, the safety pin 10 of the present invention may be employed in the usual manner for securing folds of fabric together such as the overlapping ends of an infants diaper as an example. When the leg 12 is shifted from the dotted line osition of FIGURE 3 toward the full line position to close the safety pin, the pointed end portion '18 of the leg 12 is inserted into the open end of the oflset slot portion 32 and then is moved toward the leg 14 through the straight slot portion Si? by the applioation of a compressive force; The compressive force is continued and a lateral force is applied to shift the pin portion 18 through the reversely bent portion 33 and then the Compressive force i'sp'artially released to permit the leg 12 to travel through the entrance portion 3 6 into th main pocket portion 34 with the fingers of the hand of the user appl ing another lateral force in the opposite direction to the first lateral force.

The manipulation of the head 2% (or head 2a to apply first a lateral force in one direction and then a lateral force in the second direction while applying and releasing a compressive force to the leg 12 may be for some individuals a diflicult finger movement. The improvement of the presentinvention in providing the auxiliary pocket '40 in the slot 28 permits the manipulation of the head :20 so that the compressive force which has shifted the leg 12 through the reversely bent slot portion 38 may he released without release and reversal of the lateral force.- This permits the pointed end portion of the leg I2 to enter theauxiliary pocket portion it? for an intervat of time suflicient to allow the user of the safety pin I0 to shift his fingers so as to again apply a partial oomp're's'sive force to the leg 12 to shift the pointed end por- "ti'on 18 out of the auxiliary pocket 40 and at the same time apply a lateral pressure or force so as to shift the pointed end portion 18 through the entrance portion 36 into the main pocket portion 18 with the subsequent release of the compressive and lateral forces applied to the leg-12.

It will be seen therefore that the safety pin 10 of the present invention is an improvement over my prior Patent 2,863,199 and it provides a safety pin which is more convenient for the fingers of the user to manipulate while pinning folds of a fabric such as an iniants diaper together, while affording the same protection to the infant against inadvertent opening of the-safety pin.

What is claimed is: j

In a safety pin comprishi'g a pair of straight spaced legs, a resilient helir. spacing and connecting one of the complemented ends of said legs for movement of said legs away from each other, a head fixedly secured to the free end portion of one of said legs, said head having a retaining slot for releasably engaging the free end part of the other leg, said slot comprising a straight portion having one end opening out of said head, a main pocket portion parallel to said straight portion and having an entrance portion, and a reversely bent arcuate portion connecting the other end of said straight portion to said entrance portion, the improvement consisting in providing an auxiliary pocket portion parallel to said main pocket portion and in communication with said entrance portion, said entrance portion being located between said arcuate portion and said auxiliary pocket portion, said other leg being shiftable from the main pocket portion through said entrance portion and into said auxiliary pocket portion responsive to the applicatior'l thereto in turn of a partial compressive force, a lateral force, and subsequent release of said compressive and lateral forces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

